images, teatro, noise...

04 October 2010

Song of the Day

In celebration of this first week of Rocktober, I'll be sharing a couple of my favorite cover songs. What's interesting about a well done cover is the new rendition's ability to make you re-listen, and thus reappraise, a once familiar song. Not just in musical terms, but in cultural ones. Today's Song of the Day: Manic Hispanic's version of "Before the Next Teardrop Falls."

Check it out...a Southern California Chicano band doing a Freddy Fender song in a punk rock style? And not only that, but referencing in the cover's structure and delivery the infamous Sid Vicious version of Frank Sinatra's "My Way," itself a subversive cover song? And layer on top of that the fact that Fender's 1974 song was a #1 hit on country radio and propelled the Secret Chicano -- Fender's real name was Baldemar Huerta and he hailed from San Benito, Texas -- to gringo country music stardom, selling over a million copies? Even more badass. YouTube link to the song here. Or click below to play it on your player. Happy Rocktober...